Out of Options
by Zutara90
Summary: When Aiden goes to steal the data from Rossi-Fremont, Iraq throws a curveball at Aiden that has deadly consequences. Now Aiden must fight. Fight to protect those he loves. Fight to survive. Rated T for violence and language (some language may be above rating).
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Okay, so apparently I really like using missions as starting points. Again, this is not just a script of the Iraq mission. More like a reimagining of what happens afterwards. I had a ton of different ideas for Watch Dogs and I ended up combining a lot of them into Humbled. This story is actually the original idea I had, but I wasn't going to write it because of its similarity to Humbled. Nonetheless, I couldn't stop thinking about it so I wrote it anyway and it actually didn't turn out too similar in the end. It is the same general idea, but I think the story behind it differentiates it enough and I think I actually like this story better. Anyway, that's enough of me rambling. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter One**

Aiden jogged down the steps of the abandoned apartment building. He was careful to check the corners as he came around them, holding his ACR at the ready just in case any more Viceroys found their way to him. He had cleared the building on his way in, but Aiden had no way of knowing whether Iraq had called any reinforcements back to Rossi-Fremont. Ironically, Aiden hadn't even seen Iraq anywhere. Aiden was expecting a confrontation with him, but he was nowhere to be found. That was perfectly fine as far as Aiden was concerned. Iraq was a dangerous person with specialized training. He was not to be trifled with.

Aiden only wanted one thing—the data. As long as he could get what he needed and get out in one piece, he couldn't care less about Iraq. Then he could use the data to save Nicky.

When he reached the bottom floor, Aiden breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't met anyone on his way down after all. He paused at the exit, taking a moment to catch his breath and make sure no one was waiting in the courtyard.

The whole ordeal was starting to wear on Aiden. He had been up for almost two days straight with only a few hours of fitful sleep to restore him. Restless ever since Nicky had been taken, Aiden could hardly sit still. He hated not being able to do anything so he had taken most of that nervous energy out on local criminals, stealing away in the middle of the night to track them down. When Aiden finally allowed himself to rest, he hardly slept out of worry for Nicky.

Now Aiden was paying for his restlessness. His body and mind were exhausted from one of the biggest firefights he had ever been in. Maybe he would finally be able to sleep now that he had an end in sight. But he would worry about that once he got back to the Bunker.

Seeing no one in the courtyard, Aiden blinked the redness from his eyes and set out for the street, dialing up Clara to check in with her.

"Clara, did you get the data?" he asked as he strode between scattered blocks and construction materials.

"Yes, we got all of it. T-Bone has starting decrypting it, but it looks like it's going to take a while. He says it's one of the best encryptions he's ever seen. And that means a lot coming from him."

"Good. Just keep working on it. I can only keep Damien at bay for so long."

"I'm sorry about all of this, Aiden. With Nicky, I mean."

"There's nothing you could have done. Damien was more desperate than any of us realized. I should have seen it coming. Gotten Nicky and Jacks to safety. But it doesn't matter now. Just focus on decrypting the data. I'll see you guys soon. I'm on my w—uuungh!"

The grunt was torn from Aiden as a stabbing pain erupted from his shoulder at that moment, synced in time with the echoing boom ringing across the complex. Stumbling forward under the force of the shot, Aiden dropped his phone and watched it skitter over the pavement a few feet away. At the same time, Aiden's instincts sent him flying toward the nearest cover. Once there, Aiden had a second to take in what had just happened.

Where had the shot come from? From the sound of it, it had to have been a high-powered rifle. Aiden figured the shot must have come from the roof of the main building from the trajectory of the bullet; which left only one logical answer as to who was responsible—Iraq. He didn't have to wait long for his suspicions to be confirmed.

A booming voice blasted from the loudspeakers. "Did you think you could just come in here, disrespecting my house, and get away with it? No one gets away with disrespecting Iraq! And don't think for a second that I didn't hit you exactly where I wanted to. If I wanted you dead, there'd be a big-ass hole where your brain used to be. Try to get away and the next one goes through your kneecap."

As if to prove his point, a bullet whizzed inches from Aiden's head when he had tried to peer over the concrete block he was using as cover. He hoped to catch a glimpse of Iraq's location, but the shot sent Aiden immediately ducking back down.

Glancing from side to side, Aiden found that his options were bleak. As luck would have it, he had dived behind the only piece of concrete not connected to anything else. It sat solitary in the middle of the yard, giving Iraq a clear shot if Aiden tried anything. Even more maddening was that Aiden was only a few yards from the edge of the complex. If he had only gone a few more feet, he could have made it behind one of the traffic barriers that marked the perimeter of Rossi-Fremont. From there, he could have stayed completely in cover while he worked his way out of Iraq's line of sight.

And Aiden couldn't rely on Jordi anymore either. Aiden knew how much Jordi hated getting caught up in the aftermath of a job so he had sent him on his way after he had stolen the data. He didn't think there would be anything he couldn't handle on his own after that point anyway.

Aiden growled. Growled in pain, frustration, and, though he would never admit it to himself, fear.

Aiden then remembered his phone, lying just outside of his reach. Iraq either hadn't noticed it, or didn't think it would do Aiden any good because he could have easily shot it. As it was, Aiden didn't think it was a good idea to stick his hand out and grab for it. Clara's confused voice was issuing from the small speaker, barely audible.

"Aiden? Aiden, are you there? Can you hear me? Aiden!"

"Clara!" Aiden yelled loud enough so that the mic would pick up his voice.

"Aiden, what's going on?"

Before Aiden could answer, Iraq's voice blared over the courtyard once more.

"You just hang tight right there while my friends come and pick you up. They should be arriving any minute now. I think we need to have a little chat and you're going to tell me what the fuck you were doing stealing those files. Then you're going to make an example to everyone who thinks they can fuck with me. And believe me, you're going to wish I had put that bullet in your head by the end of it."

Ignoring Iraq's threats, Aiden shifted closer to the phone, wincing as the movement shot a wave of pain through his arm.

"Clara, can you remote activate a blackout from the Bunker?"

"Of course, but it's going to take a minute."

"Just hurry."

Aiden wished he had something to tie around the wound, to try to stem the bleeding, but he had nothing at his immediate disposal. The best he had was his belt, but with the location of the wound, it wouldn't do much in the end. He settled on holding it with his hand for the time being and focused on calming his racing heartbeat. Adrenaline had gotten him out of critical situations in the past, but at the moment, it would only serve to make him bleed out faster.

Screeching tires sounded from somewhere to Aiden's right and he snapped his head around in shock. Iraq must have called in the patrolling Viceroys in the area. Aiden had killed all of those at Rossi-Fremont.

Frantically, Aiden turned back to the phone. "Clara, I need that blackout now!"

"I'm almost there."

Aiden could now hear the engines above the noise of the tires. The Viceroys were getting closer. Fast.

Whether Clara came through or not, Aiden wasn't about to let himself be captured by Iraq. His best bet was to run for the barriers ahead of him and hope that Iraq was too distracted to pull off a shot. A turning point was fast approaching. If he waited too long, Aiden would be trapped by the incoming Viceroys. But Aiden had to give Clara as much time as possible because causing a blackout was still his best option. It was certainly the one least likely to get him maimed. Or killed. He settled into a low crouch. When the headlights of the speeding cars were barely visible a street away, Aiden voiced his panic.

"Clara!"

"It's ready."

"Do it! Now!"

The lights above Aiden flickered for a moment before they went out, pitching the area around Aiden into darkness. A darkness that spread outward from his position like a tidal wave. In a matter of seconds, a three block area including Rossi-Fremont had gone completely black.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Aiden was left in total darkness. He didn't know whether or not Iraq had nightvision, but he wasn't going to wait around to find out. Even if Iraq did, it would take him a moment to switch over to it. A moment was all Aiden needed. Never before being so thankful that he had chosen to infiltrate the building at night, Aiden wasted no time in sprinting clear of the square, scooping up his phone along the way. Small drops of blood marked Aiden's trail, falling from his blood-soaked arm hanging limp at his side. Only one shot followed Aiden on his escape. It hit the corner bricks of one of the secondary buildings of the complex just as Aiden ran behind it.

Iraq's furious voice followed Aiden down the street. He seemed to be commanding his gang. Whether it was through the loudspeaker or he had simply left the speaker on while he talked through the radio, Aiden didn't know.

"Get that mother fucker! Fifty grand to whoever brings his ass to me in a body bag. A hundred alive. Just bring him back or don't fucking come back at all!"

Aiden ran toward his car just around the south side of the building. His midnight black Scafati GT lay waiting for him where he had left it earlier. It was flashy and maybe a bit obvious, but Aiden always planned ahead. He figured he might need to make a quick getaway and he was thankful now that he had the speed and handling of the Scafati at his disposal. Aiden climbed inside, placing his rifle in the seat next to him. The engine roared to life soon after. A second later and not a moment too soon, the Scafati was racing down the street, three Viceroy vehicles in pursuit.

Aiden was an excellent driver; one of the best in the business. But his arm was starting to take a toll and he found it difficult to pull off high-speed evasive maneuvers with a wave of pain shooting through his whole arm every time he turned the wheel. It was worth bearing though. If Aiden were caught by Iraq and his gang, a gunshot wound would be the least of his worries.

Even still, he was easily avoiding the two Polars and one Sonarus that were following him toward Brandon Docks. Traffic wasn't heavy, but it was enough to slow Aiden down. That and the constant turns he was making hindered him enough that Aiden couldn't use his speed to his advantage. One of the SUVs had fallen behind while the other two cars were right on Aiden's bumper. But as Aiden came up on an intersection, he spotted an opportunity he couldn't pass up.

Coming from the left was a semi, far enough out that he hadn't yet slowed down for the red light. Aiden sped through the green light and quickly hacked the lights behind him. Seeing the green light, the semi came charging through the intersection, ploughing straight into the Viceroy's SUV. The car was lifted a few feet off of the ground, plastered to the grill of the semi. When the truck came to a halt, the SUV rolled off, tumbling several times before coming to a rest upside down. The SUV had been crushed nearly in half. The semi had obviously fared better, though it had likely been totaled. Aiden hoped he hadn't gotten anyone killed. He always knew that his undertaking was going to have some collateral damage, but it didn't hurt any less whenever someone innocent got injured because of him.

Aiden didn't have long to study the repercussions. He flew around the next corner, the remaining Viceroys close on his tail. He was leading them toward the bridge. Going through The Loop would hopefully give him enough time to ditch the last two cars. And once he did, it was a straight shot to the Bunker.

Over the bridge, Aiden could finally use his car to the fullest, opening up the throttle and gaining some ground on his pursuers. Aiden pulled several car lengths ahead.

Unfortunately, his lead came to naught when he botched a drifted left turn. His arm gave an involuntary shudder causing Aiden to pull too far to the left. Partially spinning out, Aiden had to come to almost a complete stop to avoid crashing into the cars waiting in the oncoming lane. Aiden recovered quickly, but the damage was done. The muscle car slid around the turn with ease, obliterating the distance between them. He was clearly the better of the two drivers still following Aiden.

Aiden hacked a couple lights, trying to lose the cars behind him, but they had avoided the ensuing carnage. The smaller car was now on Aiden's flank, tapping his back end in an attempt to throw him out of control. Aiden breezed through the hits. It wasn't the first time he had engaged in bumper to bumper combat. But he was worried that his arm would eventually give out. Each hit sent a shockwave through his shoulder that made him grit his teeth. He had to change tactics.

Heading into the city proper, Aiden planned to lose them in the back streets. The back alleys did give Aiden a reprieve from the constant collisions as they were only wide enough to fit one car across. As it stood, the Sonarus was right behind Aiden, but the SUV remained a few yards back. He didn't have the acceleration or handling to go through such tight turns.

Having driven the streets of Chicago basically his whole life, Aiden knew every twist and turn like the back of his hand. He was leading them into a trap. Swerving suddenly, Aiden veered into a small alley. If it had gone the way Aiden hoped, both cars would have been stopped, but the driver right behind his Scafati was too good. He followed Aiden without any trouble. The driver of the Polar didn't fare so well through the sudden turn and fell back another few yards. Aiden shrugged off the unfortunate turn of events. He would take whatever he could get.

As Aiden exited the far side of the alley, he hacked the blockers hidden in the concrete. He did it as close to his own car as he could, hoping that it might at least disable the car directly trailing him, but he wasn't so lucky. The blockers merely tapped the man's back bumper, sending him slightly off course, but certainly not out of the running.

The SUV didn't stand a chance. He had his foot to the floor seeking to catch up with his cohort and never saw the trap right in front of him. Hitting the blockers at full speed, the car flipped end over end and came crashing back to the pavement with the screech of twisting metal. Two deep dents on the front indicated where it had struck the cylinders. The car was soon engulfed in flames, discharging black smoke into the night air. Passersby on either side of the street ran in terror, their screams sounding above even the roar of the flames.

That left only one.

But try as he might, Aiden couldn't shake the last Viceroy. Whether it was just the different car or a superior set of skills that the man possessed, Aiden didn't know. It was clear, however, that he was no low level street thug. He mirrored Aiden around every corner; through every change of pace.

Aiden felt himself fading. Just the relatively undemanding task of driving was leaving him panting for air. His arm and shoulder were in complete agony and Aiden's hands had gone clammy and cold. He had to end the chase soon or it wouldn't matter whether he was captured or not.

But he was running out of options. Aiden was driving along the south side of The Loop, heading directly for the Bunker. He was hoping to have lost all three cars by that point, but fate seemed to be laughing at him that night, putting an end to all of his best laid plans. His vision started to blur in and out of focus, leaving Aiden shaking his head, refusing to accept his deteriorating condition. Nevertheless, Aiden was a practical man. He knew that by the time he made another lap around The Loop, he would be unconscious. He had to do something. Something desperate.

There were only two more opportunities along Aiden's current route to lose his tail—a steam pipe and the traffic light right before the bridge to the Bunker. Aiden didn't want to use the light. If it didn't work, he would be trapped in a dead end, or end up leading the Viceroys right to his hideout. Not to mention Clara and T-Bone. That left one alternative. The problem was how closely the Sonarus was following Aiden. If Aiden wanted to take him out using the steam pipe, he would have to blow the thing right underneath his own car as well. As far as Aiden was concerned, he didn't have a choice. He would have to risk it.

The pipe bore down on Aiden like they were playing a game of chicken. A game that would have no winner. It appeared so innocent and unassuming. It seemed incapable of producing the massive explosion Aiden knew it could. When the pipe was directly below his chassis, Aiden steeled himself and pressed the button on his phone to activate it. He couldn't have timed it more perfectly.

The muscle car was thrown into the air by the full force of the explosion. The steam shot out of the ground in a gushing geyser that propelled the Viceroy upward, destroying his car instantly. Coming to a stop on the edge of the river, the car sat idle. No flicker of movement came from within. The man had likely died instantly due to the force of the impact.

Aiden didn't have time to take in the destruction he had wrought. The eruption had hit the hind end of his Scafati and lifted it several feet into the air, sending Aiden's car careening out of control. Aiden tried desperately to rein in the lurching vehicle, but to no avail. His car spun out, hurtling the driver's side into the concrete column of the overpass.

The last thing Aiden remembered was the world reeling around him. Then he smashed his head into the door of the car and everything went black.

* * *

Aiden's world came slowly back into focus. A fine mist was drifting through the shattered window, continuously splashing Aiden in the face with its cold touch. A thin layer of blood coated the upper door. Most of it had been washed away. Through a fog, Aiden could hear the rumble of the steam spewing behind him along with the screams and questioning remarks of onlookers. Then the piercing wail of sirens. The sirens above all else snapped him back to reality. The police would be no better to Aiden than the Viceroys.

Still in a daze, Aiden sluggishly moved his arms as if to test that they yet worked. Finding that they did, he put them to use starting the engine. The Scafati had stalled at some point while Aiden was unconscious. It took a few tries, but Aiden was finally able to get the engine to turn over, the familiar sound a comforting presence in the bleak scene.

Not bothering with a backward glance, Aiden made his way down the street. Bruised and battered like Aiden himself, the car limped back to the Bunker. It threatened to die a few times along the way, but it eventually pulled up in front of the secret elevator. Looking back, Aiden was amazed he actually made it across the narrow bridge to the island. There was a gap on either side of the entrance that he could have easily driven off of in his depleted state. But old habits die hard and Aiden made the crossing without incident.

Once parked in front of the Bunker, Aiden pulled out his phone. He fumbled with it, his fingers feeling thick and clumsy. His double vision didn't help with the proceedings either. Barely able to keep his eyes open at that point, Aiden managed to call Clara, opening his door at the same time.

"Aiden!" Clara sounded scared.

"Clara…help." Aiden only managed to utter the two words before he stumbled over the edge of the car, sending him sprawling into the light emitted from the car. His grip was practically nonexistent and he dropped his phone as he caught himself on his injured shoulder. Aiden let loose a pained moan, too exhausted to generate anything louder. The phone lay forgotten beyond the light illuminating the ground beneath Aiden. It gave off a faint glow in the gloom, Clara's voice relaying a few more words before the call ended and the screen dimmed.

Aiden fought to stand, pulling himself up by the door of the car. He wearily worked his way around the door, using it to steady himself. When he reached the hood, his blood-smeared hand slipped down the canting slope, leaving a red trail down the side of the car as Aiden fell once again, this time onto his side. Aiden lacked the strength to raise himself after that. His breathing slowed, coming in thinner and thinner gasps. His eyelids grew heavy, the piercingly green eyes beneath dulling. The last thing he heard was the car engine cut off for the last time. Aiden followed suit soon after.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"Aiden!" Clara had frantically picked up the call from Aiden. She couldn't discern what had happened earlier when Aiden had asked her to cause a blackout. She could hear what sounded like a loudspeaker. From what she could tell, it was Iraq's voice coming through it, but she couldn't make out what he had been saying. The last thing she heard was a loud _bang_ and then Aiden had ended the call. The radio silence since then had her deeply worried. When Aiden's number popped up on her phone, she couldn't press the answer button fast enough. What she heard after that quickly dispelled her last hope.

"Clara…help."

Aiden's voice had been so quiet, so helpless. Then, nothing.

Thoroughly panicked, Clara yelled out to Aiden, hoping he would say something more. "Aiden, where are you? Are you there? Aiden, are you alright?!"

Not gathering any response, Clara hung up and turned to T-Bone who was approaching from the other side of the Bunker. He had heard her frenzied cries and came to find out what was happening.

"What's going on?"

"It's Aiden."

"Did you hear from him? Where is he?" T-Bone asked concernedly. Clara had told him what had happened earlier at Rossi-Fremont. They had both been waiting expectantly ever since, the doubt growing with every passing minute that they hadn't heard from him.

"He called. Asked for help. But he didn't sound like himself. He sounded hurt." The words came tumbling from Clara's mouth in a jumble. She bit back the tears of worry that threatened to burst forth. Crying wouldn't do Aiden any good. She knew Aiden had to be wounded, perhaps even dying somewhere out in Chicago. Hating herself for it, she couldn't think of any way to help him. He was out there risking his life to save his sister and she was sitting comfortably in the Bunker. Doing nothing. She had been largely responsible for Aiden ending up where he was now and she was doing a poor job of repaying that debt.

"Can you track his phone?" T-Bone offered, cutting through her silent reverie and gesturing to the computer.

Clara berated herself for not thinking of that before. She hastily sat down at the desk chair and pulled herself closer to the monitor. Aiden had let Clara install a backdoor to his phone so that they could access it in emergencies such as this, so it only took a few seconds to pinpoint his location.

"This doesn't make any sense," Clara remarked, looking at the display. The blinking dot on the screen indicated a spot right next to the Bunker. "He's…here."

Clara looked quizzically up at T-Bone. As realization dawned on both of their faces, their eyes grew wide and they turned suddenly to face the door on the landing above them. As one, they scrambled to the stairs and hurriedly climbed them, racing for the elevator.

Clara tapped her heel impatiently as the elevator made its gradual descent. T-Bone just looked stern. But Clara knew that he was just as worried about Aiden as she was. Aiden was abrasive and unyielding, but he was loyal to a fault and, underneath his rough exterior, a good person. Neither one of them wanted to see him hurt. Nor would they stand idly by in his time of need.

Squeezing through the crack as soon as the door opened, Clara ran forward into the night, swiveling to her right to search for any sign of Aiden. She didn't have to look far.

The blaring headlights immediately drew Clara's attention to the thrashed car, the driver's side door hanging ajar. Then she looked further and beheld Aiden lying on the ground. Unmoving.

"Aiden!"

Clara sprinted towards him, T-Bone following closely behind. She knelt next to Aiden, assessing his condition. He was breathing, if only in shallow breaths. His face was drawn, pale. Dark circles stood under his eyes. A large gunshot wound was evident on Aiden's left shoulder. Blood had soaked his off-white sweater and leather jacket, staining them a dark red. The stain had started to creep down his jeans as well. A small pool of blood was collecting near his chest.

T-Bone had moved around to peer into the car, reporting his findings as Clara inspected Aiden.

"There's a lot of blood here, Clara. The seat is completely soaked in it. This is bad." T-Bone returned his attention to Clara and Aiden, picking up Aiden's abandoned phone as he did so and stowing it in his pocket.

Clara chose to ignore T-Bone's observation, instead pulling Aiden up into a sitting position. She leaned him against the car and tried to rouse him.

"Aiden? Aiden can you hear me?"

"Clara." He answered with something less than a whisper. It was that, more than anything, which frightened Clara the most. Weak was not a word that had ever been used to describe Aiden. He was always so strong, confident, able. She hated to see him like that. So defeated; the fire behind his eyes petering out. He barely had the strength to lift his head.

"Don't worry, Aiden. You're going to be alright. We're going to get you to a hospital." Clara made to move Aiden, but his words stopped her.

"No…no hospital."

"What are you talking about? Aiden, you need help!"

"No. He's right, Clara," T-Bone cut in.

"Are you crazy?! He needs a hospital now!" Clara started yelling out of frustration at the absurdity of their statements.

"And what do you think is going to happen once he gets there?" T-Bone raised his voice to match her volume. "The doctors are going to report the bullet wound to the police and one of two things is going to happen. Either Iraq is going to get word of Aiden in the hospital and come and kill him, or the police are going to realize he's the vigilante."

"So what? Aiden's broken out of prison before, we can get him out again."

"You honestly think they're going to take Aiden to prison? The Viceroys and the South Club own the police and Aiden isn't exactly on good terms with any of them. He'll be lucky if he even makes it to the police station."

"We have to do something or he's going to die!"

"I know, I know," T-Bone placated. He cast his gaze around the area as if searching for the answer then pointed his thumb back towards the Bunker. "Help me get him inside. I found a med kit in there the other day. It ain't much, but it's our only choice."

T-Bone swooped down under Aiden's uninjured arm, helping him to stand and carrying the bulk of his weight. Aiden's head lolled forward, hanging limply in front of him. Shuffling awkwardly, Aiden struggled to place one foot in front of the other. Clara didn't want to hurt Aiden by placing herself under his wounded arm so she led the way, opening the door ahead of them.

Aiden was going downhill fast. With each successive step out of the elevator, he grew heavier and heavier in T-Bone's grasp.

"Hold on, Aiden. Just a little bit further. Just stay with me." T-Bone kept repeating the words to Aiden in an attempt to keep him awake.

Despite T-Bone's encouragement, Aiden eventually passed out, having only made it halfway to one of the back rooms on the upper landing. Clara stepped in at that point and assisted T-Bone in carrying Aiden the rest of the way, his feet dragging on the floor.

T-Bone supported Aiden while Clara cleared off a long table, sweeping its contents haphazardly to the floor with a clatter. Once clear, T-Bone set Aiden down on top of it. He then ran to get the med kit, leaving Clara with Aiden's lifeless form.

It didn't take him long to return. T-Bone must have filed the med kit's location away for future reference, knowing that they would one day need it. He opened it and pulled out a curved needle and suture string along with some antiseptic.

"I guess it's a good thing you aren't awake for this, 'cause this is gonna hurt like hell," T-Bone stated before pouring the antiseptic over Aiden's shoulder. Naturally, Aiden didn't respond. Turning his head to Clara as he threaded the needle, T-Bone said, "At least the bullet went all the way through. I'm not sure I have the skill to dig a bullet out of a wound."

"But you can stitch it, right?"

"Well enough. It won't be pretty, but women are into battle scars, right?" Classic T-Bone. Always trying to diffuse his nervousness through humor.

Clara knew what he was doing, but wasn't in the mood to indulge him. She was too preoccupied worrying about Aiden and made no comment.

Giving up his attempt at humor, T-Bone resumed his work on Aiden. The entry wound on his back was small enough that he could use a bandage instead of having to stitch it shut. For the jagged gash on Aiden's head, T-Bone used two medi-strips. With Aiden's wounds closed and the bleeding stopped, T-Bone stepped back and took a deep breath, letting out the tension he had been withholding.

But he didn't have long to relax.

A couple minutes later, Aiden started convulsing on the table. He alternated between shivering uncontrollably and violently lifting up off the table as his muscles clenched tight in unison.

"What's happening?!" Clara shrieked as she ran forward to grab Aiden's ankles. The table was narrow and he was in danger of throwing himself off of it.

T-Bone came forward with her, pushing Aiden's arms down on the table to steady him. "He's seizing. His body's going into shock."

Aiden's thrashing increased in intensity to the point where T-Bone could barely keep a hold on him.

"Look in the med kit. Is there an Epi Pen in there?" T-Bone pointed a finger at the box in the corner, but immediately placed his hand back on Aiden's arm before he flipped himself off the table.

Clara rushed over to the med kit, sifting through its contents furiously.

"Clara!"

"There's nothing here!" Clara responded, turning back to T-Bone. A look of terror distorted her face.

Suddenly, Aiden's body gave one final heave and crashed back onto the table, where he remained.

"Aiden?" asked T-Bone as he let go of Aiden's arms to check his pulse.

He felt nothing.

"Shit!"

Spurred into action, T-Bone started giving Aiden CPR, breaking through Aiden's breastbone with a sickening _crunch_.

"Come on, man. Breathe." Twenty painstaking seconds passed without any response from Aiden.

"Breathe, dammit." Thirty seconds.

Clara could only watch in horror as Aiden's life slipped away. She had come a long way from the naivety of her days with DedSec. Her dealings with Aiden had numbed her to murder and death. But when her friend laid dying mere feet away, she couldn't hold back the emotion. She brought a hand up over her mouth as a single tear broke free of its well and slid down her cheek, a sob threatening to burst forth.

By that time, forty-five seconds had passed since Aiden had stopped moving and T-Bone pounded on Aiden's chest with his fist, turning his sorrow into an anger with which to beat the life back into his friend.

"Come on, Aiden! Don't you dare die on me."

Just as T-Bone was about to give up, Aiden's chest heaved with a gasping breath. T-Bone took a step backwards, stunned by Aiden's resurgence. He recovered quickly though and sprang forward to check Aiden's pulse.

When he nodded assurance to Clara, her sob finally came loose, her shoulders shaking with relief. For a long while, they both just stood there, their minds incapable of fully comprehending what had happened. When it seemed that Aiden wouldn't relapse, T-Bone turned to Clara.

"I, uh… I better go get to work on that data then. Aiden's going to want it when he wakes up."

Clara looked him in the eye, hope rekindling behind her own. "Go. I'll stay with him."

Pausing for a moment, T-Bone nodded at Clara with a half-hearted smile, placing a hand gently on her shoulder before walking past her onto the metal walkway, then down the steps towards the computers.

Clara let him go. He would never admit it, but she knew he needed the solitude to come to grips with their ordeal. Truth be told, she did too.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

A swirl of visions danced before Aiden's eyes. He was standing at Lena's grave a month after her untimely death. Damien's smug face appeared next to him.

"You should have just stuck to the plan, Aiden. I had everything under control. You lost your nerve. You killed Lena."

"No! You're the one who went too far."

"I don't think so, Aiden. Lena's death is on you. And soon, Nicky's will be too."

Aiden whipped out a gun and pointed it at Damien's face; pulled the trigger. But he was suddenly looking at himself driving the car with Lena and Jackson. He was riding a motorcycle and watched as his bullet flew toward the front tire. He couldn't stop what was coming. His doppelganger lost control. Flashes of the resulting car crash kept cutting in, a kaleidoscope of sights and sounds. Lena's little voice saying "Pawnee." The stuffed lamb. Screeching tires. Screaming.

All of a sudden it was Nicky screaming. She was being kidnapped by two men dressed in black. Aiden himself was being held back by a multitude of hands. He struggled against them, but couldn't break free.

"Aiden, help me!"

"Nicky, I'm here! Just hold on, I'm coming."

Aiden fought desperately against the binding hands, but he was powerless against them. There were just too many. Nicky's captors were pulling her away, heading toward a door. Darkness lay on the other side. The men pulled Nicky through the opening, but she grabbed onto the frame, still screaming for help. The two men were lost to sight as they grabbed Nicky around the waist, her legs disappearing through the door with them. Her upper half was left floating in midair, kept in place by her hands on the white frame of the door. Aiden was being pulled back as well and he redoubled his efforts, managing to break a hand free and stretch it out towards Nicky.

"Aaaaaaiden!"

"Nicky!"

Nicky's cry echoed in Aiden's ears as she reached a hand towards him, then was swallowed up by the shadows.

* * *

Clara had been dozing in a chair next to Aiden's bed when she was jolted awake by Aiden's hysterical exclamation.

"Nicky!"

He jumped out of the bed, falling to the floor when his legs wouldn't support him. With a hand on the edge of the bed, he found his feet and blundered across the room, crashing into a table and sending its contents clashing to the floor when he tipped it over. He was clearly delirious and Clara feared he would injure himself again if he wasn't stopped. She walked over to him, placing her hands on his chest in an effort to stop him as he stood once more.

"Aiden, look at me. Nicky's fine. You need to stop. Aiden!"

"I have to save Nicky." Aiden slurred his speech as if he were drugged.

Clara could clearly see she wasn't getting through to him. His eyes were glazed and constantly roved around the room, searching for unseen danger. By that time, T-Bone had come running in, drawn by the din created when Aiden had overturned the table.

"What the hell is g—" Upon seeing Clara struggling to calm Aiden, T-Bone stepped in and forced Aiden back onto the bed.

Once Aiden's head hit the pillow, it was like a switch was flipped and Aiden ceased resisting. He was still rambling nonsense and his arms flailed uselessly. The occasional "Nicky" was the only discernable word Clara could make out. Growing ever quieter, eventually Aiden's eyes rolled back into his head and he fell back into unconsciousness. His head slumped to the side and one arm fell out over the edge of the bed, the other one collapsing onto his chest.

Taking a moment to steady herself, Clara gently placed Aiden's arm back onto the cot. She was breathing hard, more from frazzled nerves than actual physical effort. It had only been a few hours since Aiden's revival and she had already been on edge from that. After this episode, Clara didn't know what to do with herself.

"You look like crap."

Clara shot T-Bone a good-natured glare. She might have taken offense had T-Bone not been giving her that roguish smile he always wore when he was trying to be funny.

"Go on," T-Bone continued, gesturing with his head toward the door, "get some rest. I'll stay with Aiden for a while."

Not having the heart nor any good reason to argue, Clara obeyed.

* * *

Aiden jerked awake in an instant. He knew he had been dreaming, but as consciousness flooded him, the last vestiges of his visions slipped between his fingers. Letting go of his forgotten dreams, Aiden focused instead on what was in front of him. He was lying on his back in a cot. Looking around, he noticed his hat and overcoat lying over the back of a chair. A metal ceiling loomed over him and a handful of servers were humming by the far wall. He was in the Bunker. But how he had gotten there, he couldn't remember. As he sat up, he held in a groan as pain shot through his shoulder and chest. It felt like he had been shot then hit by a car which, he reminded himself, he basically had. He rose cautiously to his feet, making his way over to the chair where he donned his hat and jacket. The jacket he put on especially slowly, trying to move his arm as little as possible. From there, he walked out of his room. He moved toward the steps and found Clara and T-Bone both at their computer stations. Still moving gingerly, Aiden descended the stairs and called out to his friends. Any other man would have asked what had happened, curious to find out the details. Aiden, being Aiden, got straight down to business.

"How's the decryption coming?"

Clara literally jumped at the sound of Aiden's voice, fully engrossed in her work as she was. T-Bone offered no physical reaction, but his face held a look of surprise when he turned around. It was Clara who answered first.

"Aiden! You're awake!"

Aiden hobbled over to them, settling himself between them with a wince, leaning on the desk for support.

"I am. Thanks to you two, I guess," Aiden said, nodding to each of them in turn.

"It's good to see you lucid again, man." T-Bone went to clap Aiden on the shoulder, then withdrew his hand at the last moment as he realized he was about to hit Aiden's wounded shoulder. Aiden graciously ignored T-Bone's awkwardness.

"What's that supposed to mean? And why does it feel like I've been beaten with a baseball bat?"

"Because I had to beat the shit out of you to bring you back to life you stubborn bastard," T-Bone shot angrily.

Aiden was a little surprised at that statement and the implications behind it. He hadn't realized how serious his wound really was. Had never stopped to consider what might happen if he got in over his head. What would have happened if Clara and T-bone hadn't found him.

Despite his natural inclination to retaliate, Aiden was too tired to let T-Bone's vehemence irk him. He could tell his anger was directed more toward the situation than Aiden himself anyway. Precluding the need for tactless retorts, Clara filled in the rest of the blanks before Aiden could respond.

"When you came to, you were raving. Delirious. You kept saying you had to save Nicky."

"Speaking of which," Aiden started, bringing the conversation full circle, "have you decrypted the data yet?" He purposefully brushed over Clara and T-Bone's explanations. His head still pounded from the car crash and he didn't want to think about what had happened afterwards. Didn't want to think at all, actually. But Nicky was in trouble and he at least owed her his full attention, if not himself.

"Not yet, but we're close. The encryption proved a lot tougher than either of us expected."

"How long has it been?"

"Two days."

 _Two days!_ He had been out for two days! Now Aiden was really worried. Damien was a loose cannon. There was no telling what he would do when he found out Aiden still didn't have his data. Aiden stood and moved toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Clara asked.

"I have to meet with Damien. Buy more time."

Both Clara and T-Bone jumped in front of him at that.

"I don't think so, buddy. I didn't just bring you back to life for you to go and get yourself killed again."

Aiden tried to push past them, but he was still weak and they held firm, forcing him back a pace. "I don't have a choice. Damien has Nicky and he—"

"And he won't be very happy when you tell him you don't have the data," Clara finished for him. "Give us a few more days. We should have it all decrypted by then. If Damien calls before that, we'll deal with him. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. You need to rest. You're no use to Nicky if you're dead."

Aiden could see the truth of her words even though he didn't want to accept it. He hated waiting. He hated not doing anything. But Clara was right. He was in no fit state to fight. If he confronted Damien now, he would just end up getting killed. Aiden grudgingly backed down.

"Fine. You're right. We'll wait a few more days."

"Now that that's settled, we can all get back to work. And by _we_ , I mean me and Clara," T-Bone said with a pointed glare in Aiden's direction. " _You_ need to rest. Don't worry, we'll find Nicky. We'll get her back."

Appropriately chastened, Aiden merely nodded and turned to head back to his quarters. Before he went too far however, he paused and looked back. In a rare moment of sincerity, he addressed them.

"Hey Clara, T-Bone."

Both turned their heads in his direction.

"Thanks. For saving my life."

 **THE END**


End file.
